What a Trip 2006 has Been

Yes, 2006 has been a wild ride. The ongoing conflicts in the world, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan continued to rage, while at least one massive terror attack, planned for August, was foiled in Britain as part of the ongoing global fight for civilization.

The Iraq war cast a long shadow over domestic politics, with the Democrats taking control of the House and, by the slimmest of margins, the Senate. As part of the grassroots campaign in Maryland, even though my guys didn't win, I'm proud to have participated with a great team in the electoral process. The consequences of the national election outcome will really begin to play out in 2007.

Energy prices seemed to be on a yo-yo throughout the year and real-estate seemed to be slowing down from a frenzied pace while the overall economy continued to show healthy growth.

Science, technology and medicine continued to advance on many fronts, while serious ethical issues such as use of human embryonic stem cells remained in contention.

Tantalizing developments relating to human expansion into space occurred this year. The Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) efforts got back on track and a go-ahead was given for one more Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in 2008. The launch of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis 1 inflatable test satellite and the inspiring flight of Anousheh Ansari highlighted new commercial advances into space as NASA turned its future plans more to the Moon and beyond. Evidence of water from the surface of Mars to the Saturnian moon Enceladus hints at the trail life may follow to the stars.

The saga of life on Earth played out in the final week of 2006 as America pays its last respects to a gentle man who served as President at a time of crisis, while Iraq's cruel deposed tyrant met his fate at the hands of his own nation's justice system.

This year more than most seemed to remind one of the Grateful Dead's line, "What a long, strange trip it's been." May God's blessings be upon you and all of us as we enter the adventure known as 2007.

Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006)


Gerald Ford is sworn in as President on August 9, 1974, Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library

Former President Gerald Ford, who led the nation out of the turbulent Watergate period, died last night at age 93. I was in my college years in the mid-seventies and I recall President Ford's central role in the history of that time.

Have a Holy and Merry Christmas!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:1-14

Home for the Holidays

After successfully accomplishing a mission critical to completing assembly of the International Space Station (ISS), the Shuttle Discovery STS-116 crew (with one ISS crew member swap) landed safely today at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.

MARS is Open for Business


NASA

A sunrise launch this morning of a Minotaur rocket carrying two satellites inaugurated operations at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Island facility on the Virginia coast. Growing operations at this spaceport, which may include space station resupply launches and suborbital tourist flights along with small to medium sized satellite launches, could be a boost to the Eastern Shore's economy and to the space industry of the whole Mid-Atlantic region.

I drove down late Friday afternoon and stayed overnight in nearby Pocomoke City, MD, rising early this morning to go out to the public viewing area on Assateague Island, a few miles from the launch site. The rocket was visible as a rising tongue of white flame with a trailing smoke plume which started to curl as the rocket arced high overhead and shed its first stage. One of the most impressive aspects of viewing a launch from a few miles away is how you hear no sound from the rising rocket for a number of seconds before the roaring sound reaches your location. The crowd gathered at the sandy beach site expressed awe and approval as the successful launch took place. This Virginian-Pilot article includes images from the Assateague Island viewing site.

Hanukkah and Our Attitude about the Future

(This is a post I originally made in 2003 and feel is worth repeating each year, especially in light of ongoing developments that could lead to human expansion into space that would provide resources for future generations.)

Rabbi Daniel Lapin has a provocative column in WorldNetDaily on a message of Hanukkah that is relevant to people of all faiths. He shows examples, ancient and modern, of how a pessimistic Malthusian worldview have been repeatedly disproved by the Creator's providence of material resources and the ingenuity to utilize them to provide for the future. Rabbi Lapin says:

It only seemed that we lacked sufficient copper, whale oil or wood. In reality, our God-given ingenuity developed exciting new technology that eliminated our need for each commodity just as it was becoming scarce.

Hanukkah's miracle was that, day after day, the Temple's menorah just kept on burning in spite of an apparent shortage of fuel - a metaphor, surely, for all apparent shortages that can be overcome with faith. Hanukkah invites us all to express gratitude to the Creator whose beneficence is boundless. It stimulates discussions that can spur our spiritual growth. It reminds us that with His gift of creativity, challenges become optimistic opportunities to partner with God in creatively solving all material shortage.

Discovery Night Launch


NASA

The Space Shuttle Discovery lit up the skies over central Florida tonight when it lifted off on the STS-116 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceflightNow.com article describes the importance of this mission for the continued assembly of ISS.

Station construction has now reached the point where an interim power system, designed to support the station during its initial assembly, needs to be phased out. With the installation of new solar arrays in September, NASA is finally ready to activate the lab's permanent power grid, a major step that sets the stage for attachment of European and Japanese research modules.

War Then and Now

With intense interest over this week's release of the Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, National Review Online commentators weigh in, and Victor Davis Hanson compares our nation's response to today's world threat to the response to the attack on Pearl Harbor 65 years ago today.

The limitations on our war-making are just as often self-imposed. Yes, we defeated the Axis powers in less than four years, but it was at a ghastly cost. To defeat both Japan and Germany, we averaged over 8,000 Americans lost every month of the war - compared to around 50 per month since Sept. 11.

So far the United States has encouraged its citizens to shop rather than sacrifice. The subtext is that we can defeat the terrorists and their autocratic sponsors with just a fraction of our available manpower - ensuring no real disruption in our lifestyles. That certainly wasn't the case with the Depression-era generation who fought World War II.

While I've only had time to read the ISG Executive Summary, I tend to think it is a mix of constructive and dubious recommendations and should be considered in combination with other sources, particularly our military, in reworking our strategy for Iraq in the context of the global situation.

Launch Scrub


Tonight's planned launch of the Shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed due to weather. The weather does not look good the next few days, so the rescheduled launch date is TBD.

Wet Mars?


A new gully deposit in a crater in the Centauri Montes Region.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

NASA today announced that spacecraft imagery shows evidence that liquid water emerges on the surface of Mars before quickly evaporating or freezing.

Liquid water, as opposed to the water ice and water vapor known to exist at Mars, is considered necessary for life. The new findings heighten intrigue about the potential for microbial life on Mars. The Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor provided the new evidence of the deposits in images taken in 2004 and 2005.

UPDATE 12/7/06: SpaceToday.net links to several news stories about this significant announcement, and famed science fiction writer Ray Bradbury tells Fox News of his excitment about the Mars discovery and about NASA's lunar outpost plans.

For decades, Bradbury has woven colorful science-fiction tales about people traveling to and living on Mars, many of them collected in his 1950 book "The Martian Chronicles."

His vivid descriptions of the planet have brought it to life for millions of readers, and he has long believed the stuff of his imagination would one day become reality.

"We're going to bring our life to Mars," he said. "We will be the Martians, and that's our future. I wish I were going to be alive the day we land on Mars and become the Martians."

A Strategy and Architecture for a Grand Vision

NASA yesterday announced a 'global strategy' and a 'lunar architecture' to define why we are going back to the Moon, what we will do there, and how we will do it.

The Global Exploration Strategy focuses on two overarching issues: Why we are returning to the moon and what we plan to do when we get there. The strategy includes a comprehensive set of the reasons for embarking upon human and robotic exploration of the moon. NASA's proposed lunar architecture focuses on a third issue: How humans might accomplish the mission of exploring the moon.

More on the 'how' we explore the Moon.

NASA's Lunar Architecture Team, chartered in May 2006, concluded that the most advantageous approach is to develop a solar-powered lunar base and to locate it near one of the poles of the moon. With such an outpost, NASA can learn to use the Moon's natural resources to live off the land, make preparations for a journey to Mars, conduct a wide range of scientific investigations and encourage international participation.

SpaceToday.net has several links to reports on the announcement.

This post at HobbySpace.com links to several sources in the space community debating some of the specifics in NASA's architecture, particularly the launch systems. While there are differences over the details, what is shared is a vision of humans expanding into and settling in space. The National Space Society provides background on the vision of human space settlement.

Catholic Science Fiction

I've recently been contacted by Karina Fabian, an author who writes science fiction which weaves in Catholic themes. For example, picture an order of nuns who live in space and perform search and rescue missions. Karina and her husband Rob are publishing an anthology of Catholic science fiction called Infinite Space, Infinite God. She also has a blog, FabianSpace.com.

I've been giving thought to the Church's role in the expanding frontier, and I believe this kind of literature is a tremendous way to explore this topic. I've only begun to explore these two fascinating sites. (I've also added the links to my sidebar.) I recommend you check them out too.

Looking Outward from the Moon

A conference of scientists and space experts is being held this week at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore to explore how to use the Moon as a base for astronomical observations. Some key participants are quoted in this Space.com article.

"The main purpose is to really for the first time in many years have a very diverse group of astrophysicists come together and talk about whether it makes sense to do astrophysics from the Moon now that we've got NASA committed to sending people there and putting up infrastructure there," said Laurie Leshin, Director of Sciences and Exploration at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Happy Thanksgiving

A special day to give thanks to God for all His gifts to us. Have a good time with family and friends and don't eat any more than I would. ;-)

To the Moon and the Asteroids

NASA continues to develop it's strategy for exploring the Moon with robots and humans.

The need to effectively use space resources “has penetrated deeply in planning for NASA’s Lunar Precursor and Robotic Program,” said David Atkinson, Deputy Program Executive for the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “It could become a keystone of our future human exploration”, with use of lunar resources helping to enable the settlement of the Moon, he said.

Meanwhile, Leonard David also reports that NASA is considering using it's planned human lunar exploration vehicles to go beyond and visit one or more Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs).

In general, a human mission to an asteroid offers an opportunity to take lunar-capable hardware and extend its reach to deep-space much sooner than would development of a full-up Mars-capable spacecraft, advised former astronaut, Tom Jones, a veteran of four shuttle flights.

The asteroids should be a major goal of our exploration efforts, given their potential threat of collision with Earth and also their tremendous potential to provide resources for future generations.

Going National

Congratulations to Tom Grenchik, Director of the Office for Pro-Life Activities of the Archdiocese of Washington, who has now been appointed Executive Director of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

As founding director of the pro-life office, Mr. Grenchik was responsible for programs and efforts to promote respect for human life and dignity, particularly in the areas of abortion, reproductive technologies, stem cell research, cloning, contraception, pornography, crisis pregnancy assistance, health care, assisted suicide, capital punishment and other issues.

In his new position, Mr. Grenchik will have national visibility in advancing the Church's position on life issues.

Milton Friedman (1912-2006)

Milton Friedman, economist, who was a leading proponent of human liberty and free enterprise, passed away last week.

“He has used a brilliant mind to advance a moral vision — the vision of a society where men and women are free, free to choose, but where government is not as free to override their decisions,” President Bush said in 2002. “That vision has changed America, and it is changing the world.”

Almost Heaven, West Virginia

I made a short post-election, pre-holidays getaway to Berkeley Springs, WV (less than two hours from the DC Area), yesterday and today. I left work early on Friday afternoon and arrived to have an early dinner at Maria's Garden & Inn, a nice restaurant with fine food, a friendly attitude, and an atmosphere that includes Catholic spirituality.

I timed this trip to coincide with the public star party at the Morgan County Observatory Friday evening. In spite of sporadic cloudiness (and a little adventure involving my car getting stuck in mud outside the observatory), the group that gathered had an exciting evening viewing celestial objects in the starry mountain country skies.

This morning included a short but healthy hike at Cacapon State Park and lunch at Tari's Cafe before returning home.

Mid-Atlantic Spaceport Readies for Launch of a New Era

The Washington Post reports on an impending launch from a spaceport only a three-and-a-half hour drive from DC, that may herald an expanding role for the region in the emerging space launch industry.

If all goes as hoped, at about 7 a.m. Dec. 11, a new day in the local aerospace industry will begin when the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport launches a 69-foot, green and white Minotaur I rocket carrying satellites for the Air Force and NASA.

It will be the culmination of a decade-long effort to start a regional, state-backed space launch industry and one that its creators believe could someday send tourists from the shores of Virginia to outer space.

Weather permitting, the launch should be visible from Washington on the eastern horizon, experts say.

Blue Origin Takes Flight

Blue Origin, the entrepreneurial space company founded by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos conducted it's first vehicle test flight this morning, according to Alan Boyle. Sorry, no spectacular pictures. The company has been very secretive about its development efforts and no pictures have been released. Still, this is one more small but significant step by an increasingly diverse space community toward a spacefaring civilization.

Some Post Election Analyses and Commentary

Noemie Emery at the Weekly Standard has six reasons for putting last week's election in perspective from a conservative point of view. Paul Schenck at National ProLife Radio sees an opening for prolife Democrats.

And Peggy Noonan once again eloquently puts a human face on our political leaders and the political process.

At the end of the day, or the end of this day, I look at the new Congress and wish them so well, such luck. Don't you? I want to say: Go, Nancy Pelosi. Be the speaker of whom historians will write, in 2032, "This was her moment, here was the summit, here she found greatness." Go, Democrats, be great and serious. Go, minority Republicans, refind yourselves. Go, conservatives.

The Fight for Life Goes On

The Supreme Court today heard arguments on the federal ban on partial birth abortion. The hearing drew prolife and pro-abortion advocates to express their views on the proceedings.

We Win Some, We Lose Some

And yesterday's election was a loss. It does hurt to see good people lose, such as Michael Steele, Bob Ehrlich, Rick Santorum, Jim Talent, and others.

Congratulations to the winners. What we now have is a divided government and it is essential that both sides take joint responsibility for securing our civilization from those who would destroy us all regardless of party.

Certainly, the war in Iraq was the primary source of frustration for the voters, although the public is far from unanimous on what is the best solution. Senator Joe Lieberman, who supports military action in Iraq, won in an independent bid against a hardline anti-war Democrat in Connecticut. Lieberman is in an especially prized position now in the closely divided Senate, where he will be courted by both parties for support of initiatives. With the change in leadership announced today at the Defense Department, the administration will undoubtedly be revising the strategy for the war.

Other factors in yesterday's vote included the 'sixth year itch' pattern in a president's tenure, a perception of corruption and arrogance (which are all too present in both parties) and the sense that inertia in the current Republican leadership has slowed the drive toward advancing the principles and policies of their supporters.

I listened to and read some of the conservative commentators and they encouraged like-minded people to avoid bitterness and to use this setback as an opportunity to evaluate what went wrong and how to improve the campaign next time. They stressed that conservative principles and goals are as valid as ever, but that the execution needs improvement. New vigorous leadership on the Republican side and possible alliances with moderate and conservative Democrats (some newly elected) can advance initiatives in the future, while 2008 is not that far away.

As I move on to life after politics (for a respite, anyway), I have no regrets about the contributions I've made and especially the time I've spent on campaign activities this year. Working the phone banks the past few days (while ODing on caffeine and donuts) with some really nice people was a real inspiration, and I will be participating with them in future political activities.

The Time is at Hand

Tomorrow is America's Day of Decision. Once more, it's time to pray, vote, and if you have time, participate in a Get Out The Vote effort. That can mean joining a highly organized phone bank or simply helping a neighbor get to the polls.

I will be active at the polling place in the early morning and at closing and participating in the county phone bank during much of the morning and afternoon. Tomorrow night will be an interesting night.

Get Out The Vote from Home

So you're not part of an organized GOTV effort in a state with competitive races, but you want to make a difference in this Tuesday's critical election. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has provided a way to participate in getting friendly voters to turn out around the country from the comfort of your own home.

Technology continues to spur innovation in the political process.

Saddam Hussein Convicted

Former Iraq tyrant Saddam Hussein was convicted today of crimes against humanity.

What is the reaction in Iraq?

Nouri al-Maliki, the Shiite prime minister, declared the verdicts as history's judgment on a whole era.

"The verdict placed on the heads of the former regime does not represent a verdict for any one person. It is a verdict on a whole dark era that has was unmatched in Iraq's history," al-malice said after the session.

Some feared the verdicts could intensify Iraq's sectarian violence after a trial that stretched over nine months in 39 sessions and ended nearly 3 1/2 months ago. Clashes immediately broke out Sunday in north Baghdad's heavily Sunni Azamiyah district. Elsewhere in the capital, celebratory gunfire rang out.

Pre-Election Musings and What's at Stake

It's Saturday evening, three days before the 2006 mid-term elections. The pundits and prognosticators are beside themselves talking about a 'wave', 'tsunami', 'momentum', etc. Polls in a number of tight races tend to shift back and forth by a narrow few percentage points.

So what's really going on? Obviously, there is understandable frustration about the difficult situation in Iraq, and differing opinions over what coulda, woulda, shoulda been done differently, and what are the options now. Throw into the mix the usual 'sixth year itch' that plagues whatever party is in power, Old Media bias, apparent polling results, etc. that point to modest to big gains by the Democrats.

On the other hand, Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) efforts, independent advocacy group efforts, uncertainties in polling accuracy make that less certain.

Also, other international developments like North Korea's nukes and continuing little domestic bombshells like Mark Foley's one man scandal and John Kerry's clumsy attempt to show off his brilliance can tip the momentum in either direction.

But there are real issues at stake. Speaking for myself, there is too much at stake to vote my mood, vent anger, 'throw the bums out', etc. While issues like immigration, federal spending, etc. have led many to frustration, what are the key issues?

My conclusion is that the paramount issues are those involving life and death. They fall into two broad categories, both pointing my preferences toward the Republicans in general.

Some of these life and death issues fall under the category of national security, terrorism, and war. The war in Iraq is obviously painful and frustrating, and every casualty report grieves all of us. Mistakes in planning are easy to see in hindsight. But the fundamental questions are, where do we go from here and who do we trust to carry out the global struggle against those who want to destroy our civilization. Note, that so far there has been no attack on our homeland since September 2001.

The other category of life and death issues are those social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and exploitation of human embryos. Over 45 million surgical abortions in this country each mark the violent death of a living human being. The Terri Schiavo case was only the most visible example that getting out of the womb doesn't free the rest of us from the danger of this anti-life mentality. And the hype over embryonic stem cells and the deceptive efforts to write human cloning into public policy represent the most blatant attempt to exploit the hope for progress in mitigating suffering to achieve an agenda of further eroding the respect for the dignity of every human life. The leadership in Washington in recent years has at least nudged public policy more toward a culture of life and begun to balance the ideological mix on the federal courts.

Oh! Any election predictions, you ask? It will be an interesting night.

Peggy Noonan on Rick Santorum

The eloquent Peggy Noonan writes about what a national loss it will be IF Rick Santorum loses his Senate race.

Mr. Santorum has been at odds with the modernist impulse, or liberalism, or whatever it now and fairly should be called. Most of his own impulses--protect the unprotected, help the helpless, respect the common man--have not been conservative in the way conservative is roughly understood, or portrayed, in the national imagination. If this were the JFK era, his politics would not be called "right wing" but "progressive." He is, at heart, a Catholic social reformer. Bobby Kennedy would have loved him.

Note the amazing but true account of Rick and Karen Santorum's prayerful act near the end of her column.

Of course, the only poll that matters hasn't been counted yet. After reading this column today, I sent a contribution toward my native state tonight via this link.

The Home Stretch

A week from now, I'll know the election is over when:

-I get more sleep and exercise.

-I'm consuming less caffeine and more healthy red wine.

-I can start to seriously clean up the clutter around my house.

-The phone bank scripts begin to fade from my memory.

-I'm making no more political donations for awhile.

-I go back to spending more time at Space.com than I do at RealClearPolitics.com.

-I have more time to blog on more various subjects.

But that's a week from now. In the meantime, I'm signed up for phone-banking this weekend and on Tuesday. (I'm taking the day off from work.) Gov. Ehrlich is virtually tied with Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley in the Maryland Governor's race and Michael Steele is gaining national attention as he is closing in on Rep. Ben Cardin for the U.S. Senate seat.

We had our final Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) planning session in Montgomery County last night. The volunteer base here is fired up and ready to climax months of effort with the big push during these final days. And while there are some unique circumstances here in Maryland, I hear that grassroots efforts in other states are also large and energized.

This Picture Says It All



John Kerry has apologized for his so-called 'botched joke'. Whatever the political impact of his debacle, this response by some of our troops is precious. It's been circulating around the Internet like wildfire, apparently with no restrictions, so feel free to download and spread further.

It's a GO!!!


NASA

NASA Administrator Mike Griffin today announced the decision to proceed with one more Shuttle servicing mission to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). I attended the announcement which brought a standing ovation from the crowd of Hubble NASA and contractor staff at the Goddard Spaceflight Center. The event also included a stem-winding speech in support of the decision by Senator Barbara Mikulski, who has vigorously supported the Hubble project on Capitol Hill. (Yes, even with my feisty red-state of mind, I could stand and applaud Babs on this subject.)

While planning and preparation for this mission has been underway for some time, having it formally placed on the Shuttle manifest and having a crew assigned (including three Hubble servicing veterans) will expedite the activities leading to the (no earlier than) May 2008 launch date.

My colleagues and I will have much to do over the next eighteen months or so, working on this exciting mission.

An Ethical Stem Cell Breakthrough

British Scientists have developed a 'mini' version of a human liver which could lead to full scale transplants using laboratory developed livers. The scientists used umbilical cord blood stem cells and NASA developed technology to achieve this breakthrough.

Working in collaboration with experts from the US, the Newcastle scientists succeeded in separating out the stem cells from blood removed from the umbilical cord minutes after birth.

They are then placed in a 'bioreactor' - a piece of electrical equipment developed by NASA to mimic the effects of weightlessness. Inside this, the freedom from the force of gravity allows them to multiply more quickly than usual.

Then, various hormones and chemicals are added to coax the stem cells into turning into liver tissue.

Michael Steele Rising

Some recent developments have further energized the already passionate supporters of Lt. Gov. Michael Steele's campaign for U.S. Senate from Maryland.

First was Michael Steele's quick response to the Michael J. Fox ad supporting embryonic stem cell research and Steele's Democratic opponent, Rep. Ben Cardin.

Michael Steele said, "There is only one candidate in this race who voted against stem cell research and it's Congressman Ben Cardin. Ben Cardin had a chance to support stem cell research that would not destroy human embryos, and he voted against it - not because of his beliefs on the issue, but as a transparent political stunt."

Unfortunately, many other Democrats and some Republicans in the House also voted to reject this bill supporting promising and ethical stem cell research. It just shows that the agenda for this hype over embryonic stem cell research has less to do with advancing medical science and more to do with trying to further erode society's respect for the dignity of every human life.

Now, after flubbing a televised debate last night, Cardin was a no-show for a NAACP debate tonight in Charles County. Cardin's campaign says he never confirmed his participation, but this doesn't seem like a smart move while trying to hold onto the traditionally Democratic African-American vote. Still to come, another NAACP debate on Saturday and a nationally televised debate on Meet the Press on Sunday.

Stay tuned. This is getting really interesting.

UPDATE: 10/27/06
The Steele campaign has released a powerful ad featuring Dr. Monica Turner, Michael Steele's sister, speaking to the stem cell issue. Watch the video here. Here's a link to RCP Blog featuring the dueling ads.

We Band of Brothers (and Sisters)

Gotta love Laura Ingraham. On her radio show this morning, she noted the traditional feast of St. Crispin, playing a reading from Shakespeare's Henry V which recounted the battle of Agincourt, and rallying her audience for our current political and military struggles.

Here are the final verses:

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

So much going on, so little time to blog. The deceptive cloning amendment in Missouri
is going down while Jim Talent is edging up. Here in Maryland, Michael Steele is on the move. So much more happening but it's past my bed time. Got to rest to carry on the fight.

State of Enchantment

I'm back from a meeting at JSC earlier this week, and will be doing more political activity this weekend. But if I could be somewhere else this weekend, it would be in Las Cruces, NM, where the X-Prize Cup events are being held. Events include vertical rocket launches, lunar lander demonstrations, space elevator demonstrations, exhibits, conferences, etc.

Within two or three years, this annual event will feature actual suborbital spaceflights like those accomplished by the privately funded and developed SpaceShipOne in 2004. Already it is a hotbed of entrepreneurial space and educational activity, and is laying the groundwork for our expanding future in space.

This event is being covered by Space.com, which is providing a live webcast of events (Friday and Saturday), plus several other web sites and blogs.

Tenth Anniversary Wishes

Wednesday evening I went into DC to Charley Palmer's Steakhouse to join the 10th anniversary celebration of National Review Online. I got to chat with some well known Washington people and many other interested citizens. Thanks to Kathryn Jean Lopez and the others at NRO for putting on a fine party.

Also celebrating their tenth anniversary this week, the Fox News Channel. Happy anniversary to both fine organizations.

Meanwhile, Back on Earth...

...as I was making the previous post on Mars before going to bed, Fox News has just broken an unconfirmed report that North Korea has just performed it's first nuclear weapon test. AP and Fox News are now reporting that NK claims a successful test.

Mars Exploration: Striking New Images


Image of Rover Opportunity at Victoria Crater seen from MRO
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech


Ground view from edge of Victoria Crater from Rover Opportunity
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

With so much going on in politics and other things these days, one can lose track of the continuing progress of exploration around the Solar System. But recent images from Mars, both from the ground with the Spirit and Opportunity Rovers, and from orbit with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), are too spectacular to overlook. Here's more description from Space.com.

A History Lesson Today's Feast Day

Michael Novak reminds us of the historic battle that occurred on October 7 that made this date become the Feast of the Rosary.

The two greatest naval forces ever assembled — 280 ships in the Turkish Armada, some 212 on the Christian side — came into each other’s sight on the brilliant morning of October 7. So confident was the Turkish admiral, Ali Pasha, that he sailed proudly at the center of his own Armada, bringing with him on vessels just to his rear his entire fortune, and even a part of his harem.

Historians tell us that all over Europe a pall fell. Few had hopes that the Christian fleet could avoid the doom that seemed to hang over Italy. The pope had urged all Christians to say the rosary daily on behalf of the brave crews on the Christian galleys. The rosary is a simple prayer that can be said in almost any setting, and had already achieved a certain popularity among humble folk. With each decade of the Hail Marys they had been taught to reflect upon a different event in the life of Jesus. The beads went through one’s fingers as regularly as the blood through one’s body, as regular as heartbeats and the breathing of the lungs.

Abortion Politics

Friday evening, the Senate was hurrying to wrap up business on a number of issues before the election. The Child Custody Protection Act, originally passed the Senate in July by a vote of 65-34.

The purpose of this bill was to prohibit an adult from transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of her having an abortion without notification of her parents. Polls have shown that ~80% of the public supports parental knowledge and involvement in an underage girl's abortion decision. Many people who would describe themselves as 'pro-choice' on abortion in general agree that this is a reasonable requirement. This would have been a good law that would have saved some unborn lives and protected some young girls from a most tragic experience.

Anyway, the Senate Democratic leadership then refused to appoint members to a conference committee to work out differences between the Senate bill and a similar House bill, effectively blocking action on the bill without going on record. Then the House passed a revised bill which included the Senate language thereby eliminating the need for a conference committee, but requiring one more Senate vote. Friday night's vote on 'cloture', required to end debate on a bill being filibustered, was 57-42, three votes shy of the 60 needed to go on to vote on the bill itself.

So what happened? Eight Democratic Senators who voted for the bill in July flip-flopped and effectively voted against it Friday night. (I guess they voted for the bill before voting against it.) Why? While I haven't seen any public statements and I cannot read their minds, I can only assume that the pro-abortion lobby that has so much influence in the Democratic Party pressured them into switching.

The eight who flip-flopped were Ken Salazar (Co.), Tom Carper (De.), Bill Nelson (Fl.), Daniel Inouye (Hi.), Evan Bayh (In.), Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan (both ND), and Herb Kohl (Wi). Four of these: Carper, Nelson, Conrad, and Kohl are up for re-election this November.

The best outcome would have been for the bill to become law but, at least for now, it hasn't. So was this a smart move politically for the Democrats, or have they handed a hot issue to the Republicans? Of course, the Old Media is not going to bring the issue up, but whether the GOP raises it or not, the grassroots prolife movement surely will.

Touchdown!

The Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft carrying Anousheh Ansari, Pavel Vinogradov, and Jeff Williams has landed safely in Kazakhstan.

Handover and Return

It's hard to believe the flight of Anousheh Ansari is almost over. The crew of Expedition 13 handed over control of the International Space Station (ISS) to the incoming Expedition 14 crew before returning with Mrs. Ansari to Earth tomorrow.

Anousheh Ansari has inspired people around the world as shown by the many hundreds, if not thousands, of comments to her blog. CNN reports that she has especially inspired and encouraged women in Iran.

Space enthusiasts gathered Saturday at the Zaferanieh Observatory in Tehran were rapt as they followed the progress of the craft, visible to the naked eye for about two minutes, as it streaked across the sky.

"Anousheh is my hope," said teenager Delagah Dadbeh, watching the spacecraft as tears of joy rolled down her cheek.

"She will shine in Iranian history as a woman who broke barriers and succeeded in conquering space with her endeavor," Dadbeh said.

"Ansari has shown Iranian women the road to progress. We only need to believe in ourselves," Dadbeh said, as another woman, Homa Parvaei nodded in agreement.

Dennis Wingo also pays tribute to Anoushesh's accomplishment in this SpaceRef.com commentary, describing her as a 'Woman of Mass Instruction'.

Dynamic Politics

The winds in the political atmosphere of the mid-term elections are shifting. For much of the year, the pundits and prognosticators have been describing a possible Democratic takeover from the Republicans in Congress. While the gap has not been entirely closed yet in the all of polls , the GOP has been gaining ground these last few weeks. Larry Kudlow describes how a re-energized W is leading the charge on national security and the economy.

A particularly interesting situation is emerging in Maryland this year, according to Russ Smith at the WSJ, where I am active locally in the campaigns. Of particular national consequence is the race for U.S. Senate. Lt. Governor Michael Steele threatens to upset some of the political conventional wisdom.

...should Mr. Steele win the seat--he's currently several points behind in the polling--he'd be the first African-American senator from Maryland, and only the sixth in Senate history. That possibility sticks in the collective craw of local Democrats, who don't like Mr. Steele's cultural conservatism, for one, and are petrified, for two, that the next Barack Obama could be a Republican.

By the way, check out some of the Steele campaign's unconventional video ads.

Needless to say, nobody is getting complacent on either side, nationally or in Maryland. Events could still tip things either way. Looks like another nail-biting election season.

Growing Space Enterprise

This past week, while the Shuttle Atlantis returned safely to Earth and Anousheh Ansari and the rotating crews continued their International Space Station (ISS) activities, some really big space news came out of an AIAA conference in San Jose, California. (Sometimes I really wish I could get paid to go to conferences!)

Robert Bigelow, founder and President of Bigelow Aerospace announced plans that include accelerating development and flight of inflatable commercial human space habitats and that he is collaborating with Lockheed Martin to study use of the Atlas V launch vehicle for commercial human transport to his facilities. LM has already been considering use of the Atlas V for commercial human spaceflight.

This is big! The entrance of one of the traditional large aerospace corporations into the emerging commercial human space travel industry, blurring the difference between 'old space' and 'new space' activity, could really accelerate the emergence of commerce in space and all of its impact on the future of humanity.

(Disclaimer: I am employed by Lockheed Martin. Any comments posted here are purely my own personal views and do not claim to represent my employer.)

Space Travelers Coming and Going

Space Shuttle Atlantis is set to land tomorrow morning after a day's delay to check out the vehicle and the debris spotted nearby.

Meanwhile, the Expedition 14 crew plus paying passenger Anousheh Ansari arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) this morning. Among her other accomplishments, Mrs. Ansari is contributing to a blog during her trip. (I don't know if she's the first space blogger, but it was inevitable that the blogosphere would extend beyond the Earth's biosphere.)

Meanwhile, her trip is causing a split among media in her native Iran. A hardline newspaper worries that enthusiastic coverage by state media provides a role model inconsistent with the strict Islamic party line. Here's hoping their fears are correct and that this venture does inspire the flame of freedom in Iran.

Enraged Christians Riot, Burn Rosie O'Donnell in Effigy

No, there has been no such reaction to the celebrity's outlandish remarks. I couldn't resist this headline as a parody of the very serious situation involving the continuing reaction in parts of the Islamic world to words of Pope Benedict XVI in quoting Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus, a historical figure.

Here is the controversial statement of the Holy Father and, most importantly, his following paragraph.

Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels," he turns to his interlocutor somewhat brusquely with the central question on the relationship between religion and violence in general, in these words: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

The emperor goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God is not pleased by blood, and not acting reasonably ("syn logo") is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats.... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death...."

These paragraphs were part of a scholarly address at the University of Regensburg in Germany, in which BXVI was discussing the relationship between faith and reason and the role of Greek culture.

Mid-Term 'Super Tuesday'

Primary elections were held in a number of states yesterday as the campaign for the November mid-term elections heats up. Here in Maryland, the race for U.S. Senate is set as Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin won his primary bid to face Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. I'm active locally in the Steele campaign, which is upsetting the conventional wisdom about politics in Maryland and could play a key role in the national political outcome.

Griffin on Science, Exploration and NASA Issues

NASA Administrator Mike Griffin addressed an all-hands meeting yesterday at Goddard Space Flight Center which I attended. His primary focus was on addressing concerns in the science community about NASA, including funding and the advisory process.

Just a few highlights:

On the Hubble Space Telescope

There has been a strong, visible, clear intent by NASA management to restore the previously cancelled Hubble servicing mission, if it is technically possible to do so. A final decision and an accompanying announcement should be made by November.

On the NASA science program funding situation

The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) FY07 budget request is $5.33 B, up from FY06 by 1.5%. And we have an Administration (not just NASA), that is committed to preservation of SMD funding in FY08-10, albeit at a lower growth rate, 1%, than we all would like. In FY11 and beyond, SMD funding tracks Agency top line growth.

On NASA and White House support for science

Science today comprises a larger piece of the NASA portfolio than ever before; 32% today as compared with 24% back in the mid-90s.

and

There's more, indeed much more, but my point is, I think, clear. These are not the actions of a science-hostile NASA, OMB, or President. Quite the contrary.

And on the broader view of the purpose of space exploration

But, as always, there is another view, best and most tersely captured by the President's Science Advisor, Jack Marburger, in his March '06 speech at the AAS Goddard Symposium. Jack noted that the Vision for Space Exploration is fundamentally about bringing the resources of the solar system within the economic sphere of mankind. It is not fundamentally about scientific discovery. To me, Marburger's statement is precisely right.

So a key point must be made: Exploration without science is not "tourism". It is far more than that. It is about the expansion of human activity out beyond the Earth. Exactly this point was very recently noted and endorsed by no less than Stephen Hawking, a pure scientist if ever there was one. Hawking joins those, including the Chairman of the NASA Advisory Council, who have long pointed out this basic truth: The history of life on Earth is the history of extinction events, and human expansion into the Solar System is, in the end, fundamentally about the survival of the species. So to me exploration is, in and of itself, equally as noble a human endeavor as is scientific discovery.

In Remembrance of September 11, 2001


U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael W. Pendergrass

Five years ago tomorrow morning, I overheard a coworker down the hall from my office telling someone else about planes hitting the World Trade Center. I checked in on the Internet and on news radio for reports on what would develop into the the modern era's day of infamy. We know of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but there was also the attack that did not occur because of the heroic actions of the passengers on United Flight 93.

Five years of daily living, along with increasing domestic rancor, may have dimmed the feelings of shock, horror, and outrage and the response of prayer, compassion, and resolve that united the people of America and most of the world.

This audio/visual Internet presentation developed by a New Yorker shortly after the attacks recaptures all of those experiences. The sequence is ~15 minutes long and some of the images and sounds are quite disturbing, others are inspirational. (I've also added the link to this video to my sidebar.)

It is important that we remember, not only to honor those who died and those who acted heroically that day, but to remain constantly aware of the ongoing dangers, of the presence of real evil in the hearts of some men, and to maintain constant vigilance and a determination to defeat this evil.

Atlantis Aloft!


NASA

After numerous delays, today was the day for Shuttle Mission 115 to launch on a quest to add new truss and solar array components to the International Space Station (ISS). The addition of these components will make the ISS an even brighter object in the night sky. This NASA site and Heavens Above, a private site, are good resources for finding out when you can view the ISS, Shuttle, and other spacecraft from your local area.

Attempted Censorship of The Path to 9/11

The ABC mini-series The Path to 9/11 has certainly caused an unusual uproar over issues of accuracy and bias. As I've haven't seen it yet, I'll reserve judgment on the accuracy of the series' portrayal of events and the surrounding controversy. The accuracy and fairness of a Media presentation on public affairs is certainly fair game for public debate.

But the Senate Democratic leadership has crossed a line when they issued a letter to Robert Iger, CEO of Disney (ABC's parent company), implying they would use the power of government to punish Disney for airing a program containing content they don't approve of. Censorship by 'progressive', 'enlightened', and 'compassionate' liberal Democrats? I thought that was only expected of 'evil', 'mean-spirited', 'right wing extremist' conservative Republicans.

To Boldly Go...

Unfortunately, the Shuttle Atlantis Mission 115 launch was scrubbed again today (for the umpteenth time), because it would have been an auspicious occasion for a launch, the fortieth anniversary of the premier episode of Star Trek. I recall as an eleven-year old being excited about this new prime-time space show.

Rachel's Field

Forest and Aileen Graul, local friends of mine, are attempting to use their property here in the Maryland suburbs of DC for a noble and compassionate outreach to post abortive parents who mourn the loss of their children. The project will stand as a witness to the sacredness and dignity of every human life and is being implemented through Life Principles Trust. They've run into opposition from the local bank which is attempting to prevent this vision from happening.

The background page is the place to start to understand this situation and, if nothing else, pray for the Grauls and their vision. One way to do that is through their audio novena(wma file). I've also added the Life Principles Trust link to the prolife section of my sidebar so that it will be readily available long after this post has scrolled off the main page and into the archives.

Lockheed Martin Wins Moonship Contract

Lockheed Martin was awarded the NASA Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) contract. Here are press releases from NASA and Lockheed Martin. The Orion spacecraft is planned to be the basic vehicle for the vision for human exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Roll Reversal



In an unexpected first for NASA, the Space Shuttle Atlantis was being rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) when NASA officials decided to reverse direction and roll the Shuttle back out to the launch pad, based on forecasts of a diminished Tropical Storm Ernesto. The return to the pad likely allows a launch attempt late next week.

Storms: Now and Then


NOAA

Tropical Storm Ernesto is headed from Cuba and toward Florida, precipitating action to mitigate human and property loss and delaying the planned Shuttle Atlantis launch. Meanwhile, tomorrow's first anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Katrina is being marked.

Woman's Space Adventure Comes at a Pivotal Time

The unfortunate turn of events for would-be Japanese 'space tourist' Daisuke Enomoto, who failed a critical preflight physical, likely puts American entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari into the paying-passenger seat on September's Russian Soyuz flight to the International Space Station (ISS). Mrs. Ansari and her husband are already known in the space community for their prime sponsorship of the Ansari X_Prize. The prize was won by Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne in 2004 for demonstrating a privately developed suborbital spaceflight capability.

It seems to me kind of Providential that Mrs. Ansari would fly at this time. The Ansaris emigrated from Iran to America, and the official Iranian news agency matter-of-factly reported the story today. Her flight could be a real inspiration to the Iranian people, especially Iranian women, defying the Islamofascist idea of women's place in society. (What? No bag over her head!) This could pose an interesting challenge to Mahmoud & the Mullahs, especially as they continue their confrontation with the world over Iran's nuclear weapons development program

Dems' Population Crisis

An Opinion Journal Article by Arthur C. Brooks explains how the cultural attitudes, especially on life issues, prevailing in each of the two major political parties will profoundly influence the direction of American politics.

Given that about 80% of people with an identifiable party preference grow up to vote the same way as their parents, this gap translates into lots more little Republicans than little Democrats to vote in future elections. Over the past 30 years this gap has not been below 20%--explaining, to a large extent, the current ineffectiveness of liberal youth voter campaigns today.

Some of the elites react to this situation with a certain reality-challenged disdain.

As one liberal columnist in a major paper graphically put it, "Maybe the scales are tipping to the neoconservative, homogenous right in our culture simply because they tend not to give much of a damn for the ramifications of wanton breeding and environmental destruction and pious sanctimony, whereas those on the left actually seem to give a whit for the health of the planet and the dire effects of overpopulation." It would appear liberals have been quite successful controlling overpopulation--in the Democratic Party.

Don't those raising the old bogeyman of global 'overpopulation' realize that there are plenty of resources available for a growing human population?

And the Winners are...

...Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Rocketplane Kistler, who will share an approximately $500 million NASA will spend on the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration phase for commercially provided access to the International Space Station (ISS). Assuming these emerging companies step up to the challenge and that NASA follows through on it's commitment to this program, today's announcement marks a historic shift in the way NASA obtains access to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Counting Planets

A proposal to be considered by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) next week would raise the count of planets in our Solar System to twelve, with some of the smaller ones, including Pluto, being classified as 'plutons'. However, the issue is still being debated by astronomers.

Today Was Almost A Very Terrible Day

British authorities have apparently thwarted a horrific terror plot about to be implemented to explode numerous U.S. bound planes, possibly killing thousands of people. The details are still unfolding, but it appears to have the characteristics of an Al Qaida operation.

James Van Allen, 1914-2006

Physicist James Van Allen, whose experiment aboard Explorer-1, America's first satellite, revealed the radiation belts around Earth that bear his name, died today at the age of 91. Dr. Van Allen was involved in numerous other space research missions, although he was a severe critic of the human spaceflight program.

May he and his family be in our prayers.

A Close Race

It looks like Joe Lieberman will lose his Connecticut U.S. Senate primary battle to Ned Lamont by a narrow margin (now under 4% with ~86% of precincts reporting). This will put him in good shape for his planned run as an independent. This could be a most interesting outcome, having Joe L. in the Senate as an independent after being narrowly ousted by the left wing of the Democratic Party.

Adult Stem Cells Good For Business

An investment analyst recommends biotech investors put their money into adult stem cells.

Based in California, SmallCap Sentinel has been issuing investment information for 23 years and analyst D.R. Clark says adult stem cell research firms are a better buy.

"As the headline-grabbing battle regarding embryonic stem cell research rages, adult stem cell sources continue to provide an ever-broadening array of life-improving possibilities," Clark said in a statement LifeNews.com obtained.

"Researchers are using the far less controversial adult stem cells to attack enormous medical problems and are confident enough in their successes thus far to seek the protection of U.S. Patents," he added.

UPDATE 8/10: More investment analysts are bullish on adult stem cells.

"From a Wall Street perspective, adult stem cells are a much better investment," Stephen Dunn of Dawson James Securities, told CNN. "These are the guys who are going to be in the news in 2007 and 2008."

"Embryonic stem cell research hasn't kept up pace with adult stem cell research," Dunn added. "Adult stem cell research is advancing so far you might not need embryonic stem cells. If the federal government is reluctant to put their money into it, then Wall Street is as well."

Mars Society Conference

I spent the last three days attending the Mars Society Conference here in DC. While I didn't attend Thursday's session, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk were the first days key speakers and a Mars Blitz on Capitol Hill accomplished 100 visits by teams of citizens in a three hour period. Friday's plenary speakers included NASA Exploration Systems head Scott Horowitz, SETI Institute's Scott Hubbard, and Space Telescope Science Institute's Matt Mountain. More plenary speakers and a rich selection of tracks and a lively banquet filled out the weekend.

The philosophical and policy tracks were particularly strong and I wound up attending these more than the technical tracks (although the Mars Society has a strong hands-on focus with its Mars Analog projects). My other impression was that while I saw some familiar faces, I met some people who joined the space community (outside of professional roles) through the Mars Society. Their overall thinking about space is the same as that of members of the other space organizations I'm active in. Look for several accounts of the conference at HobbySpace and Space Politics.

Videos from the War

Checkout Vital Perspectives for some unique information, imagery, and videos of Israel's war with Hezbollah. (Hat tip to PowerLine Blog.)

A prime example is this sequence which shows a Hezbollah terrorist carrying weapons into a house, then firing the missiles toward Israel. The Israelis get the last shot as the video concludes with the house being destroyed.

Back from Vegas and NewSpace 2006

Definitely a good trip, both fun and inspiring. Definitely a sense that a lot is going to happen in the space industry in the next few years. Clark Lindsey has a quick wrap-up including links to other sources, and he'll probably have more later at HobbySpace.

The timing and location of the conference was perfect, coming in the wake of the launch of Genesis-1 by Bigelow Aerospace. I was fortunate to be a part of a group that was given a tour on Thursday afternoon of the company's facilities by Mr. Bigelow himself. No picture taking was allowed, but a separate media group was allowed selective picture taking. Jeff Foust provides a photo gallery plus a very descriptive article on Bigelow's efforts and their new openess about them.

Outside of conference activities, I enjoyed time in the pool and good food and libations. Thursday evening I went to an enjoyable show up at the Sahara by the Scintas, a great family musical comedy act. Plenty to do in Vegas without losing all your $$.

Anniversaries


NASA

Thursday is the 37th anniversary of humanity's first expedition to the lunar surface. Check out Rand Simberg's ceremonial commemoration of that epic event.

I'll be off to attend the Space Frontier Foundation's NewSpace 2006 Conference. We'll be discussing how to bring about human settlement of the Moon and other places on the frontier in an appropriately dry place with temperature extremes and an artificial environment. The conference is being held in Vegas.

Thursday is also the third anniversary ('blogiversary') of the launch of this humble blog. Here is the inaugural post (Note that I was too inexperienced to think of giving it a title.) on Life at the Frontier.

Embryonic Conflict

As the Senate debates and the Old Media distorts, W is prepared to stand by principle and veto a bill funding embryonic stem cell research and sign two other bills prohibiting 'fetal farming' and promoting legitimate alternatives.

We are all Israelis Now

The situation in the Middle East which exploded in the past week calls for our prayers for peace and for the people of Lebanon and Israel. That does not mean there is a moral equivalence here. Hezbollah and their more powerful backers are clearly the aggressors, and this situation is only part of a global picture.

There has been much commentary, but Larry Kudlow in his NRO article says it as good as anyone.

All of us in the free world owe Israel an enormous thank-you for defending freedom, democracy, and security against the Iranian cat's-paw wholly-owned terrorist subsidiaries Hezbollah and Hamas. Israel is doing the Lord's work. They are defending their own homeland and very existence, but they are also defending America's homeland as our frontline democratic ally in the Middle East.

And on the connection to the war in Iraq:

Israel's next front may indeed be Syria, which is also directed by Iran and is a safe haven for terrorists - including former Saddam Baathists and others who move freely between Syria and Iraq in order to cause trouble. Many experts still believe that Syria is safe-harboring Saddam's unfound inventory of weapons of mass destruction.

Kudlow discusses the economic aspects, and the closes with a salute to Israel's courage in responding to this crisis.

When the dust clears the world will applaud Israel for its courage. Sensible freedom-loving people everywhere will realize that Israel's furious response in the face of senseless terrorist attacks will have made the world a better place.

In fact, we are all Israelis now.

Happy Landing

Shuttle Discovery landed safely today after a highly successful mission. The ship landed with one less crew member than when it launched as European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter stayed behind on the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is now staffed up to three crew members, with major assembly Shuttle missions upcoming.

Contrasting World Views

The successes of Shuttle Discovery and Bigelow's Genesis-1 are good news to those who see human expansion into space as a vital way of providing for future generations. However, as Michael Huang points out in his Space Review article this week, there are some who not only see no human future in space but would prefer there be no long-term human future at all. Welcome to the bizarre world of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement (VHEMT).

Of course, the repulsion of VHEMT lies in the end of humankind: the loss of cumulative achievements in the arts and sciences, the elimination of countless future human lives, and the end of intelligent life on Earth. Of great consequence is the loss of a future for life itself.

Do we take the path of seeking the death of the human species or the path of expanding to welcome and provide for future generations of human beings? This question once again frames what Pope John Paul II so aptly described as a conflict between a culture of death and a culture of life.

Welcome to the Hotel Bigelow

Well, the guest rooms aren't ready for checking in yet, but Bigelow Aerospace has launched its first inflatable test vehicle riding a converted Russian ICBM into orbit. The company reports that the vehicle, Genesis-1 has been successfully expanded and its solar arrays are deployed.

Bigelow Aerospace has received confirmation from the Genesis I spacecraft that it has successfully expanded.

We have also confirmed that all of the solar arrays have been deployed.

This is the first of a series of test flights using technology from a NASA program called TransHab (cancelled in the late nineties before any test vehicles could be flown). The goal is to commercially develop space modules for use as laboratories, manufacturing sites and, yes, hotels in the next ten years.

The Non-Conflict Between Ethics and Progress

With a crucial Senate vote coming up this week, Robert George and Eric Cohen last week pointed out the fallacy of the hype for embryonic stem cells.

Instead of engaging in fraud and coverup, or conducting experiments that violate the moral principles of many citizens, we should look to scientific creativity for an answer. Since the cloning fraud, many scientists -- such as Markus Grompe at Oregon Health & Science University and Rudolf Jaenisch at MIT -- have been doing just that. And others, such as Kevin Eggan at Harvard, may have found a technique, called "cell fusion," that would create new, versatile, genetically controlled stem cell lines by fusing existing stem cells and ordinary DNA. Scientists in Japan just announced that they may have found a way to do this without even needing an existing stem cell line.

In other words: all the benefits of research cloning without the ethical problems. Looking ahead, it is becoming increasingly likely that reprogramming adult cells to pluripotency, rather than destroying human embryos, will be the future of regenerative medicine. It offers both a more efficient and far more ethical way forward.

AOK

The STS-121 mission appears to be achieving its objectives so far, including docking with the International Space Station (ISS), validating the intactness of the Shuttle's thermal shielding, and yesterday's EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity - the formal name for a space walk) which repaired some critical ISS hardware and tested the sturdiness of a boom that could allow the crew to do repairs on the bottom side of the Orbiter, a capability that is crucial for NASA potentially giving a go-ahead for a final Hubble servicing mission.

Check out the Space.com STS-121 mission page for links to mission reports as the flight progresses.

Rockets' Red Glare


NASA/KSC

Space Shuttle Discovery soared into space with today's spectacular July 4th launch. While some small debris were spotted falling from the External Tank, analysis so far does not indicate any major problem. Discovery is set to dock with the International Space Station on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Kim Jong Il had to grab attention with some fireworks of his own as North Korea test fired several missiles today around the same time as the Discovery launch. The anticipated test of a long range missile apparently turned out to be a dud, failing early in flight.

Happy Independence Day!

As we join in the festivities of the Fourth, let's strive to keep to the values proclaimed in the Declaration that make it worth celebrating.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Go for Launch

NASA has decided to go ahead with tomorrow's July 4 Discovery launch after analyzing an anomaly with the External Tank's foam coating.

Mexican Election Outcome

Felipe Calderon and his party appear to have won the Mexican national elections in a tight race. Calderon's win favors free market policies and a cooperative position with the US and is also a positive outcome for the prolife movement.

This is not an Old Saturday Night Live Skit

The state of New Jersey REALLY is still closed!

Hubble Eye Reopens

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), a key Hubble Space Telescope instrument, was reactivated on it's redundant side after the instrument stopped operating nearly two weeks ago.

Let's Try This on Tuesday

Weather once again scrubs the Discovery launch. Next attempt will be for a July 4th launch.

Scrubbed for Today

Weather conditions have caused the Discovery launch to be rescheduled for tomorrow.

The Countdown Continues...



...for tomorrow's scheduled launch of the STS-21 mission of Space Shuttle Discovery, while the weather forecast remains doubtful. Follow developments at SpaceFlightNow's Mission Status Center and watch live video coverage on NASA TV.

Much is riding on this flight, which opens the final phase of the Space Shuttle Program. Our prayers are with you, STS-121 Crew.

Neutralizing the Word Games

Here's a great article on the what may be the most challenging frontier for the prolife movement, the topic of abortive contraception.

The truth is, it was the abortion rights and family planning movements that have been playing word games for the past few decades, and the pro-life movement is simply trying to correct the damage.

This decades old controversy revolves around the definition of a single word: conception.

The site No Room for Contraception is breaking ground on the whole topic of the impact of contraception on society.

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Demythified

My friend Pete Backus, a leading scientist at the SETI Institute, describes three myths commonly held about SETI that don't correspond to reality. The common thread among the misconceptions is that people tend to think a much more extensive SETI search has been carried out than is actually the case. Thus any conclusion about the success or failure of this endeavor is quite premature.

More Info on WMDs?

Not surprisingly, the Old Media is playing down the story about the discovery of chemical weapons in Iraq. The finding of these older, but still potentially very dangerous, chemical weapons doesn't provide conclusive evidence about the scope of the Iraqi weapons program at the time of the 2003 war. But the information disclosed last week was only a tiny portion of a larger pile of still classified documentation that could shed light on the WMD situation.

Michael Ledeen at NRO argues for releasing all of the documentation.

And we should demand they honor their calling, we should demand that the whole document be declassified and released, so that we can evaluate it ourselves, and decide how important it is or isn't. Because we know that the fourth branch isn't going to give us the facts, unless they fit their agenda.

Declassify the WMD document now. We'll tell you what it means.

And while you're at it, how about producing the other Iraq documents, the stuff from Saddam's files, that you promised to give us? We haven't seen much of that of late, have we? I wonder why...

I tend to agree, with the caveat that information that might allow still hidden WMDs to fall into terrorists' hands or endanger informants be withheld, as described in this Strategy Page article.

If the United States were to have announced WMD finds right away, it could have told terrorists (including those from al-Qaeda) where to look to locate chemical weapons. This would have placed troops at risk - for a marginal gain in public relations. A successful al-Qaeda chemical attack would have been a huge boost for their propaganda efforts as well, enabling them to get recruits and support (many people want to back a winner), and it would have caused a decline in American morale in Iraq and on the home front.

So There Were No WMDs, Right?

Looks like another politically correct assumption is going down the drain. This developing story is breaking at Fox News and other sources tonight.

"We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons," Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said in a quickly called press conference late Wednesday afternoon.

Reading from a declassified portion of a report by the National Ground Intelligence Center, a Defense Department intelligence unit, Santorum said: "Since 2003, coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent. Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq's pre-Gulf War chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to still exist."

While these weapons discussed in the declassified report are apparently degraded pre-1991 Gulf War weapons, they do raise a lot of questions about what we've been told is known about what was supposedly not found in Iraq.

The weapons are thought to be manufactured before 1991 so they would not be proof of an ongoing WMD program in the 1990s. But they do show that Saddam Hussein was lying when he said all weapons had been destroyed, and it shows that years of on-again, off-again weapons inspections did not uncover these munitions.

Hoekstra said the report, completed in April but only declassified now, shows that "there is still a lot about Iraq that we don't fully understand."

Asked why the Bush administration, if it had known about the information since April or earlier, didn't advertise it, Hoekstra conjectured that the president has been forward-looking and concentrating on the development of a secure government in Iraq.

Offering the official administration response to FOX News, a senior Defense Department official pointed out that the chemical weapons were not in useable conditions.

"This does not reflect a capacity that was built up after 1991," the official said, adding the munitions "are not the WMDs this country and the rest of the world believed Iraq had, and not the WMDs for which this country went to war."

The official said the findings did raise questions about the years of weapons inspections that had not resulted in locating the fairly sizeable stash of chemical weapons. And he noted that it may say something about Hussein's intent and desire. The report does suggest that some of the weapons were likely put on the black market and may have been used outside Iraq.

He also said that the Defense Department statement shortly after the March 2003 invasion saying that "we had all known weapons facilities secured," has proven itself to be untrue.

"It turned out the whole country was an ammo dump," he said, adding that on more than one occasion, a conventional weapons site has been uncovered and chemical weapons have been discovered mixed within them.

I've seen other reports on reliable Internet sources over the past three years that caused me to doubt the sweeping assumption that there were no WMDs in Iraq. There may be more declassified information forthcoming, according to Senator Santorum and Rep. Hoekstra.

Go For Launch



NASA Administrator Mike Griffin has announced that NASA is proceeding toward a launch of the next Space Shuttle mission, STS-121 on Saturday, July 1, even with the objections of the agency's chief engineer and safety office. The concerns center around the potential for debris falling from 'ice-frost ramps' on the Shuttle's External Tank which could damage the Orbiter. The rationale for the decision is explained in this somewhat lengthy SpaceflightNow.com article.

Griffin does base his decision on, among other things, the eventual redesign to the ice-frost ramps to mitigate the risk and the crew's ability to use the space station as a 'safe haven' in the event of damage to the Orbiter on ascent.

"So how do I justify that? With as much uncertainty as we have, I ... certainly would have to think harder about putting a crew on this vehicle if I thought they didn't have the space station safe haven option and the launch-on-need (rescue flight) option and for that matter, if push came to shove, to call up Russian Soyuz spacecraft for rescue. I do not see the situation we're in as being a crew-loss situation."

Just personally reading into this statement, but the status of the Hubble servicing mission, which will not have the space station 'safe haven' available, may depend on implementation of the eventual redesign.